Sports News
Czech ice hockey team fail to impress in opening games at World Championships
Czech Republic - Slovenia, photo: CTK
The Czech ice hockey team didn't get off to a great start at the World
Championships in Riga, with the defending champions only managing a 1:1
draw with hosts Latvia on Friday. The Czechs failed to take advantage of
their power plays in that match, a problem rectified in their second game
against Slovenia on Sunday. But after leading 4:0, Alois Hadamczik's men
were in the end relieved to win 5:4 after the Slovenians fought back.
Czech left winger Martin Erat had this to say after the game.
"I think we played well during our power plays throughout the game. The first period went our way, but after that we had several chances to score that we didn't take advantage of. Then the Slovenians got back into it...we'll have to take their comeback as a lesson."
The Czech Republic have secured a place in the quarter-finals, but they will be keen to beat Finland, their first serious opposition, on Tuesday evening. A win over the Finns should ensure easier opponents in the next round.
Novak is back in action...
Former Czech tennis number one Jiri Novak returned after a six-month break on Sunday. Novak, at one point ranked fifth in the world, was beaten 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the Rome Masters by Italy's Stefano Galvani.
...while Navratilova is back in Prague
Martina Navratilova, photo: CTK
Czech fans will get a rare chance on Tuesday to watch the great Martina
Navratilova, who is taking part in the doubles in the ECM Prague Open at
the city's Stvanice arena. She has won 56 Grand Slam tournaments in an
incredible career and is one of the all-time legends of the game.
Navratilova told the media she would be happy if she could motivate others
to make their dreams come true.
"I'd like to show the joy I get from playing tennis, and maybe inspire others to play tennis or do something else entirely, to get fit or...write that novel they've been thinking about for years and never got around to...I'd like to inspire people to make the most of their lives, because I do just what I like. I'm really pleased about that and I'm lucky that I can do what I want."
Koller set to leave Dortmund while future of other Czech stars also unclear
Jan Koller, photo: CTK
Czech footballer Jan Koller has managed to catch the end of the season
with Borussia Dortmund, after a seven-month absence through injury to. But
the giant striker, who is out of contract, says he will leave the club in
the summer. Tomas Galasek is in a similar situation and is preparing to
quit Ajax Amsterdam; his Czech team-mate Zdenek Grygera, meanwhile, has
refused to sign a new contract with Ajax and could move on after the World
Cup. And there has been speculation that Milan Baros has played his last
game for Aston Villa; the striker has not been a success at the club and
was left out of the squad for their last game of the season.
